


Coffee Stains

by TheWriterWhoNeverWrites



Category: The Tarot Sequence - K.D. Edwards
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Awkward Flirting, Coffee Shops, Fluff, Gen, Nonbinary Character, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-23
Updated: 2021-01-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 23:00:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28928442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWriterWhoNeverWrites/pseuds/TheWriterWhoNeverWrites
Summary: “Max?” Layne's voice filtered across the counter.He took another breath, rubbing at some of the loose whip cream that had made his way onto his cheek before making his way to the front.And he was glad he’d already covered his blush, because the way that Layne was smiling at him would have made his entire face go red.
Relationships: Layne Dawncreek/Matthias "Max" Saint Valentine
Comments: 4
Kudos: 6





	Coffee Stains

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the TTS Rare Pair Extravaganza filling HeartSun (and also Coffee Shop AU technically). 
> 
> I am much too soft about two characters that have barley interacted in Canon, but here we are
> 
> Enjoy!

Max was finishing up the last hour of a busy eight hour evening shift when Layne walked in.

The part time job had been Brands idea, or at least Brand had been the one to bring it up with him. Something about that it would probably be good for him to have experiences that may qualify as “normal” before he turned 18. In Max’s opinion school was normal enough, but Rune had agreed with Brand and saying no to both of them still felt too close to an unnecessary rebellion, so he’d agreed. It was always safer to agree, and it couldn’t be that bad.

And so, within a week he’d found himself clad in a purple apron, generic black shirt and useless but required black hat two to three days a week.

He was near the back side of the counter, washing up some dishes, when Monique, the days manager, had yelled from the front, 

“Eh! Max! One of the Brady Bunch is here!”

He put down the glass he’d been scrubbing, leaning back a bit to get a view of the counter. He’d only been working at The Coffee Ground for about a month, but between Quinn and Ann’s constant visits, Runes caffeine ventures and Brands morning runs, he’d quickly been known for his guests. His boss hadn’t complained yet, though Max was fairly sure that was mostly due to the business he apparently brought in. As long as he wasn’t distracted from work and whichever incoming Sun House member arrived actually bought something, they were fine.

He caught a glimpse of freshly dyed blue hair and jerked back to the counter. Layne was one of the people who visited the least. Not out of any amount of malice, but merely because they also had a job, and they always seemed to work the same days Max did, or be sleeping off a night shift on his mornings.

Them being here was a blessing and a curse. He liked seeing Layne, but…

“Aw, lover boys blushing!”

A rough shoulder rub pulled him from his musings and he looked up to another one of his co-workers smirking at him. He covered the blush in a rush, the gentle touch of magic a comfort as it rested against his cheeks. The other guy just smirked wider, ignoring Max’s glare as he pushed past on his way to the back room. 

“Max?” Layne's voice filtered across the counter.

He took another breath, rubbing at some of the loose whip cream that had made his way onto his cheek before making his way to the front.

And he was glad he’d already covered his blush, because the way that Layne was smiling at him would have made his entire face go red.

Layne was wearing their blue scrubs, the lighter thinner ones that they preferred to wear in the warmer months. They were loose and comfy, their badge still stuck to their chest and a work bag thrown over their shoulder. Their blue hair was pulled into a high ponytail behind them, multiple little braids meeting the puff of hair at the back as it made its way down to their collarbones. And even though they’d probably been up since before 6am, they were still smiling at him.

Monique moved away from the counter, a comment about he was good to leave thrown over her shoulder as she went to take over where he’d left off on the dishes. And then they were alone at the front. Max rubbed at the back of his neck.

“Did you want green tea? It’s on the house.”

Layne had never been much of one for caffeine, and green teas were usually what they ordered when they popped in. Layne shook their head.

“No no, don’t go to the trouble. You’re done soon right?”

They sounded...off. Not upset, they were still smiling as they shook their head, but hesitant. Nervous. Max nodded, glancing at the clock on the other side of the restaurant, “I’m done in exactly seven…” He paused as the digital clock changed, “Make that six, six minutes left.”

Layne laughed a little,

“Alright then, well I’m just going to sit,” They said a little sheepishly, pointing at one of the benches that overlooked the window, “My feet are killing me. Meet you there when you’re ready?”

Max nodded again and watched as Layne made their way to the bench, resting their bag across the table. They pulled out their phone before sitting, idly scrolling through some app before hoisting themselves onto the higher chair. They glanced back at him, and raised an eyebrow at the fact that he was still indeed standing where they’d left him. 

_ Oh god he was staring wasn’t he. _

He ducked his head and walked quickly to the back, ignoring the soft giggle he was pretty sure he could hear from across the café.

Layne was still sitting where he’d left them when he came out of the backroom, a backpack thrown across his shoulders and his name tag gone. He hung up his apron as he moved past the hooks, pushing through the swinging gate that led to the counter and stepping onto the floor. Layne was people watching out the window when he approached, and they looked up when he slid into a seat beside them, setting a coffee tray beside them.

“I know you said no tea”, he started, glancing at the two steaming paper cups between them, “but I was getting myself one anyway, and I know you like green tea and I didn’t put any sugar like you like and I figur-”

Layne stopped him with a tilt of their head and a smile, “Thanks.” 

And it was just so easy to relax around them, so he smiled back.

“You wanna go on a walk?”

*

“Walks” never ended up quite being a walk when it was the two of them after one of Laynes shifts. Usually their walks ended up the way this one was turning out, a dark sky and the two of them sitting on the swings at the park by the manor. 

Layne liked to swing high, would toss their legs back and forth and lean with the movement until they were almost horizontal before jumping off and into the loose pebbles below. It came from childhood competitions with Anna, from Corbie always screaming  _ “Higher! Higher!” _ as they’d pushed him from behind. Layne always talked about their childhood softly, a split between nostalgia and mourning with a smile that made their eyes look sad. Max preferred to just let his feet dangle and listen.

The park wasn’t far from Sun Manor, and as long as one of them told one of the adults where they were and it wasn’t a school night, the curfew was midnight. Since the Hanged Man though, Max had taken to texting Rune  _ and  _ Brand when he left the coffee shop after a shift, especially if he wasn’t going home directly after. Sometimes one of them would come by to walk him home, Brand would make a comment about needing another run anyway, Rune would grab an “evening coffee”. Even Addam had shown up once or twice, though there was no attempt at subtly in his arrivals. Max wasn’t a fan of being coddled, but he didn’t fight them on this. He couldn’t argue that it didn’t make him feel a bit safer on the darker nights. He knew Layne had a similar instinct, that they usually texted Corrinne or Brand before coming home, which meant that between the two of them at least three adults knew where they were.

Layne wasn’t swinging high this time, their feet pulled up awkwardly onto the edge of the swing. The shift in gravity pushed the swing left and right instead of forwards and back, and the side of their swing came within inches of Max’s own. They’d been sitting in silence since they sat down, their conversation fading out under the creak of the swings and the sounds of the night.. Their walks were when Layne usually spoke the most, their otherwise quiet demeanor shifting under the stars into quiet conversation. But they were quiet tonight.

Layne's hip grazed against Max’s swing as they swayed and he glanced at them, only to find that they were already watching him. Laynes eyes widened when they met Max’s and they bit at their lip.

“Can I ask you a question?” They asked.

Max shifted, letting his feet catch in the stones below him so that he could more fully face his friend, “Yea, what’s wrong?”

Layne pulled at one of the loose strings of their pants, their gaze lowered towards the ground.

“There’s a party coming up? For staff at the hospital?” They started, statements ending as if they were asking Max a question. He hadn’t heard them talk about a party, nothing about anything extra happening with the hospital staff, so he just nodded. They took a breath,

“Everyone's been really nice, and almost everyone's been really good with my pronouns since I told them but…”

They trailed off, not finishing their statement. They were still fiddling with the string, the blue stark against their skin as they wrapped and unwrapped it around their fingers. Laynes eyebrows were pulled down, the loose light of the street lamps nearby reflecting off the wetness of their eyes, and Layne rubbed a thumb at their cheek. Max froze.

He couldn’t explain where the anger came from, the way his body tensed at the idea of anyone being mean to Layne. It was another new part of being part of a family it seemed, the way he wanted to make sure Corbie got along with the other kids at the park, the way he wanted to punch any kids that would try to imitate Anna's smile. But this was different. Max reached forwards, laying his hand on top of Layne's. 

“Did someone say something to you?”

And he was ready to fight them, actually fight them. Or send Brand on them. It would be less satisfying not to lay his own clean hit, but he knew the companion would tear anyone who hurt any of them apart. Layne's eyes widened and they shook their heads quickly, shifting their hand so that they could squeeze Max’s.

“No no, nothing like that.” They said in a rush, still not quite meeting Max’s gaze, “I just...Do you think it would be weird if I wore a dress?”

And that? That was much easier.

“No.” 

He didn’t even think about it as he spoke, the word coming out almost on instinct. Members of the Lovers Court had been… _ expressional _ in their taste in clothing, none of which was limited by their gender presentation. Dresses had been no exception, if anything a dress would have been  _ tame _ . But this wasn’t the Lovers Court, it was Layne. 

“I think you’d look great in a dress.” He said, the effort needed to hold back his blush now leaving a buzzing in his ears, “Do you have one?”

Layne finally met his eyes and smiled, “Yea, Ciaran helped me pick it out.”

And it was then that Max realized that Layne was still holding his hand, a loose grip against his fingers in their lap. He glanced at their hands and Layne followed his gaze, glancing between him and their clasped hands. Neither of them moved.

“Max,” Layne started, glancing at their hands once more before locking their eyes on his, “Would you want to come with me? To the party?”

Their face was soft in the glow of the lamp light, a nervous smile pulling at their lips. It took a moment for their words to compute to Max, for the meaning of them to fully sink in. He opened his mouth. Then closed it again. Then settled on,

“You want to go with me?”

Layne squeezed his hand again,

“If you want to.”

And Max looked at them again, completely giving up on trying to hide his blush. He squeezed their hand back,

“What colour would I need to wear?”

Layne grinned at him, shifting their legs off the front of the swing, digging their toes into the ground and bedding their knees. Layne pulled themselves forwards, Max following from where their hands met between them. The motion pulled them together, a light swing starting.

“Don’t worry,” They said, leaning back to follow the motion of the swing, “I’ll get Ciaran to text you.”


End file.
